Gryffindors And Slytherins Don't Ever Mix Do They?
by explicit.ratedx.nightmares
Summary: set from the Goblet Of Fire through Deathly Hallows, slightly au-ish, fred centric. Rosalia is a Slytherin and Fred is a Gryffindor. She's well off, his family is dirt poor. Their friends hate each other and try to keep the two from even casual conversations that more often than not end in arguing. But despite it all, the spark is there.. When they act on it, what will happen?
1. Authors Notes Page

AUTHORS NOTES PAGE

_I do not own Harry Potter. I don't own any of the characters or plot that belongs to J K Rowling, the amazingly talented genius she is, even though, she did get me where it hurt by killing off Dobby, Sirius and Fred.. Mostly Fred. _

_I'm not gonna make any money off this either._

_I do own my own original character, and this story, which is set from the Trio's 4__th__year forward._

**SETTING:**

_During the Goblet Of Fire, largely from Fred's perspective with a few other major players playing minor parts as this is__** Fred centric**__._

**RATING:**

_Teen for now and it could quite possibly go up to an M rating later, seeing as how I happen to like sex and adult themes. The T rating is because there's swearing and I'm paranoid._

**CHANGES TO SERIES / OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS:**

**This will sort of loosely follow the books. But it's mostly Fred's own love story from Goblet of Fire forward. And no, he will not be dying in this. I like happy endings way too much to kill him a second time. This is mostly a look at Hogwarts through my oc, a Slytherin, and the Weasley twins, other minor characters, so it's not about the Trio that much.**

**I WROTE ALL THIS HERE SO I WOULDN'T HAVE TO ELABORATE ON ANYTHING AT THE END OF CHAPTER ONE. REVIEWS ARE LOVED, NO FLAMES PLEASE?**


	2. Curiousity

She sighed as Fred and George Weasley made their way through the crowd, running as if they were in a huge hurry. A sharp elbow in her side had her looking over, finding a housemate of hers standing in line beside her, smirking in amusement.

"It tends to go smoother if the infatuated party speaks to the object of their infatuation at least once.. I really don't get you, Rosalia.. You can flirt with nearly any boy you want to.. Yet you even think you see Fred Weasley, it's almost like your brain turns to mush or something."

The Italian brunette shrugged and watched him shoving his way to the front of the line, a soft smile filling her lips for a brief moment as she muttered something in her native tongue and then said to her friend Melody, "For your information, Melody.. This year, I'm going to finally do something about it."

"And we have this discussion in line for the train every year at the start of the year." Melody chorused in boredom, giving the ginger male her friend was apparently so enraputed by a dismissive once over. "He's so.. Childish." she muttered dismissively as Rosalia shrugged and then said "Only to someone with a stick up their arse."

"I do not have a stick up my arse, Rosalia. I just do not see the attraction where that.. That Weasley is concerned. I mean you could have anyone almost. And you want the most frustrating, not to mention dirt poor boy in this school.. And did I mention that when you two do talk, it never goes well? He obviously dislikes you."

Rosalia muttered quietly, "Thanks.. That helped so very much, Melody. So very much. Just remind me that he hates me and kill my entire resolve to finally make a proper move before I've even done it." as Melody smiled and said calmly, as if she were lecturing a child almost, "Better now than when you've done it, and he's laughing his arse off at you. Or making fun of you. Or worse, it does work out for you and your mum finds out just who he is."

At the mention of her mother, Rosalia rolled her eyes, lapsed into her native tongue again then sighed. Her mother was nothing if not a snob. Considering her mother while having always been well off, was a Muggle, her father was the Pureblood and also quite well off, Rosalia didn't understand the majority of her mother's snobbery, but she never said anything, she didn't want to fight with her only living parent after all.

"Did you hear? We're hosting the Triwizard Tournament this year! Meaning.. " Melody started, but trailed off and rolled her eyes when she saw that again, Rosalie was staring at Fred intently, not paying a bit of attention to what she was saying.. "Ahem.. Do you not hear me, Rosalia?"

"The TriWizard Tournament, wow.. Like it doesn't happen every 3 or 4 years or something." Rosalia murmured as she licked her lips and said to her housemate, "Continue?"

"Viktor Krum, Rosalia.. The boy your mum was trying to get you to go for tea with. He'll be here. He's in Durmstrang."

"And? I'm supposed to be happy? The guy was a git in the worst way possible. Besides.. I don't feel anything for him." Rosalia complained as Melody rolled her eyes and then muttered "And here she goes again with all that romantic nonsense." to herself.

Truthfully, Melody only bothered with Rosalia because their mothers were old friends and Melody, being older, felt like she should at least try and watch over the younger girl. Which wouldn't be such a pain if she weren't so headstrong, if she weren't so determined to act out against the way they'd been bought up, among some of the richest Muggles society had to offer.

Like the Purebloods, there were elitist Muggles. Proudly, Melody counted herself among those. They were at the bottom of the foodchain, but not the absolute bottom. That's where the common Muggles like Hermione Granger and loads of others they had the misfortune of attending school with came about.

Rosalia on the other hand, well, she snubbed their ways with disdain. Like her infatuation with dirt poor Fred Weasley, a boy who'd probably never grow up and most certainly wouldn't actually make something of himself. And her wild ways, the way she dressed, and the people she liked to hang around with when Melody wasn't watching her every move.

Truth be told, Melody suspected that Fred returned Rosalia's feelings, but Melody of course, inserted herself every time they had an encounter, and the outcome was more often than not Fred grumbling and swearing at Rosalia who was swearing right back at him in Italian, which she also did a lot. Melody basically saw to it that Rosalia did nothing stupid to ruin her mother's name.

"Did your mum take you to Fashion Week?" Melody asked as they walked past the Weasley twins and onto the train. With a laugh, Rosalia shook her head and said "I went with my uncle to an archaelogical dig in the rainforest. So much better."

"It's the bloody jungle.. With heat and mosquitos and snakes and Merlin knows what else. What's fun about that?" Melody asked with a roll of her eyes as Rosalia rolled her eyes right back and snapped "Don't you have friends?" impatiently.

Finally, when the train was boarded, Melody found her real friends, a group of equally snobby girls she always associated with and sat with them, leaving Melody in a train cab all by herself. She took out a fashion magazine and crossing her legs at the knee, she stretched them over the bench, after first shedding the heels she wore with her outfit.

Leaning back and squeezing her eyes shut, her last huge argument with her mother bugged her and she sighed, raked her hands through her hair.

She just didn't like her mother's rules, or the things she had to do to make her mother happy. She didn't like the sheltered life she'd been raised in. She hated being restrained, and she hated being told that she couldn't fall for the man she chose to fall for.

This year, she'd already decided, she was going to make some much needed changes. She was going to go completely against everything she'd been raised to do, she was going to go crazy if she chose to do it. Seeing red hair walk past the cab she sat in, she stood and muttered to herself, "Now to do this without Melody the Snob seeing and tattling like a big baby." before slipping out, catching up to the red haired male quickly, tapping his shoulder.

Fred turned around and eyed the Slytherin with amusement. "Yes?" he asked, studying her, waiting on her to say something. Rosalia's heart pounded in her ears and beat like it'd run out of her chest at any second, and she smiled a little, grabbing hold of his hand, pressing a rose shaped milk chocolate into it, winking cheekily, muttering something in Italian and slinking away.

Fred looked down at his hand, then watched the retreating brunette with curiousity. "What the hell was that about, I wonder." he muttered to himself as he unwrapped the chocolate candy and popped it into his mouth, promptly choking when his twin brother snuck up on him and said with a smirk, "What'd the little princess want?"

"Gave me candy." Fred muttered as he shrugged off the entire incident. He'd sort of written her off a long time ago, about their 2nd year, when she and he got into it during a class about something petty and stupid.

Of course, he still had to admit, he rather enjoyed watching her when she wasn't looking, and yes, he did like her. He just wasn't stupid enough to admit it to her or anyone else. Not and be the laughingstock of her rich and rather annoying friends of course.

Because he knew that with his luck, that's what would happen.

"And you bloody ate it, Fred? She's a Slytherin, might I remind you? As in evil?" George asked, grumbling when he realized that yet again, his twin brother was watching the Slytherin brunette.

"So.. are we ready to test the latest invention?" Fred asked seconds later, breaking his daze to look at his brother, excited. George chuckled and nodding said "I believe so, brother. I do believe so. If it works, looks like we might just be entering ourselves in the Tournament, yeah?"

The twins smirked at each other and grabbing their things, prepared to get off the train, start a new year at Hogwarts. A year that they figured would be a lot of their usual pranks and mischief.

Fred's gaze followed the brunette Slytherin as she slunk past. He still puzzled over why she gave him the candy on the train.. Especially considering all the times they'd fought in the past, the way they seemed to strongly dislike one another. As he watched her, he found himself wondering if it were possible to actually like someone that you always considered an enemy of sorts, even if it weren't actually directly her own fault, it was mostly her friends. Then he shrugged it off and shoved the thought as deep down in his brain as it'd possibly go.

Because there was just no way he was going to get close to one of the Slytherins. He'd resisted his feelings for her this long, he'd had them about 3rd year or so, he reasoned that he could hold out until she wasn't a temptation anymore.


	3. Confusion

"Stop staring at the Gryffindors. They're beneath us." Melody muttered, her voice coming out in a hiss as Rosalia blatantly ignored her, continued to gaze longingly at the back of Fred Weasley's head from where they stood in the crowd waiting for the contestants of the TriWizard Tournament to be revealed.

"What in the name of purple Merlin is he doing?" Rosalia mumbled with worry, look on her face concerned as she watched Fred and George link arms, step up and sip some odd and glowing concoction. There was a loud pop and a thick plume of smoke surrounded the twins who were thrown out of the circle.

Fred happened to land next to the Slytherin from the train after their little experiment failed. He looked up at her, she looked at him, for some reason or another, through her slight laughter, she looked worried. He sprang up and she shook her head, looking around. Then she leaned in and whispered, " I do say, Weasley.. You'd make a most handsome old man. For a Gryffindor.."

He raised a brow at her, muttered to himself, "She's barmy, that's all." before whispering back, "If I didn't know better, Rosalia, I'd almost swear you were concerned just now.." with a mischevious smirk on his face as he added, "Careful.. Wouldn't want the little princess getting ran out of Slytherin and disowned by the parents, would we?"

Rosalia masked a hurt look and stiffening her shoulders, she said stiffly "Not all of us are the same. Apparently, however, you Gryffindor boys are actually 90 percent gits." as she let her eyes dart around the other students, trying not to focus on him.

"That hurt." Fred teased mercilessly as Rosalia fixed her eyes on him and then sighing, she turned to walk away, upset with how their conversation went. They always seemed to go this way, it didn't matter how nice she actually tried being to him.

He seemed to think that just because she was in Slytherin, she was pure evil or something, just like the rest of her housemates.

She hadn't actually **wanted** to be in Slytherin.. But both of her parents were when they were students at Hogwarts.. And it was a family legacy. Had she not made Slytherin, she shuddered to think what she might have had to go through at home, the disappointed looks on her parents faces.

Looks that as of late didn't really bother her very much. No matter what she did, it'd never be good enough for her mother, so she didn't bother trying to appease the woman over half of the time. In a few years, she'd be on her own, as far away from the madness as she could possibly get.

But until then, starting this year, she was going to live her life the way she wanted to, damn the consequences. And if she did everything she planned to?

There would most certainly be consequences.

An arm slid around her waist and she rolled her eyes as she looked over and saw a friend of Viktor Krum's standing there, his arm around her. He flashed her a grin, she shoved his arm down, turned on her heel and slunk to the back of the crowd, then out of the room, stopping to gape in shock as the goblet spit out the name of the champion for Hogwarts..

Harry Potter.

She laughed to herself a little and muttered to herself, "Like that'll really happen. Dumbledore will not allow it, I wouldn't think." before sauntering out of the room and into the mostly deserted hallway.

She just needed to walk, to think about things, to figure out some way to make Fred see she was not like other Slytherins. So far, she wasn't having any luck with this. Nothing short of a miracle was going to make him open his eyes, she feared.

Down the hallway, she spotted a brief flash of red hair, disappearing around a corner, heard deep male laughter. "They must have slipped out too, to go and reverse their potion." she muttered to herself as she continued walking, turned down the same hallway she'd seen the twins go down.

She'd passed a closet or something, with the door cracked, and she let out a small yelp as she felt a hand shoot out, grab her wrist, pulling her back into the room. She looked up into the eyes of George Weasley who studied her a moment, quietly.

"What?"

"This game you're playing with my brother stops. I don't know what you're after, or if you're just bored, but you're not pulling him into your mess, whatever it is." George said as she laughed and paced a few steps in front of him, her fingers tangling gracefully in her long thick hair as she stopped abruptly and said in a small voice, "It's not a game, George."

"The hell it isn't.." George started as he looked at her intently. She sighed and said casually, "Look.. If I could stop this.. Whatever you think it is, I would."

"The hell you can't." George stated simply as Rosalia shook her head and said calmly, "Kind of hard to turn off my feelings for him, and I really don't want to try." while studying him intently, her hand on her hip, foot tapping against the stone floor impatiently.

"The only thing you're feeling, Rosalia.. Is bored." George said as Rosalia laughed and then shook her head. "You don't know me, George. But since you see my house colors, you know how my friends are, you automatically put me in with the rest of them. I'm not like them."

"Could have fooled me.. Your snobby little friends always around you, the way you and my brother tear into each other all the time.. Now you're staring at him and giving him looks and slipping candies into his hands on the train.. That sounds like some kind of game."

"If I were going to play games, George.. I'd play them with someone in my own house. Not with a boy who openly hates me and uses every single chance he's gotten over the years to tear me down.. And get joy from it." Rosalia said quietly as she started to the door. "We're done here, right?"

"As long as you leave my brother alone. I'm not going to have you and your stupid little rich friends making some sort of joke out of him with all this." George said casually as she stiffened her shoulders, sighed in defeat and turned the handle on the door, walking out into the hallway.

Swearing in her native tongue, she paced the empty corridor, debating why she was even trying at this point.. Every single time she did try, someone, whether it be her friends or his, had something to say about it. Or it blew up in her face, and they fought.

She smacked into a firm chest and looked up, grumbling to herself in Italian as she realized that apparently now, she was going to have another little sparring session verbally with Fred.

Instead, he held out her rosary, dropped it into her hands and walked away. She looked at it, then at his retreating back, and then back at the rosary in her hand.

She'd lost it at the end of term last year, because she hadn't known the clasp had broken, and it'd fallen off during a class or somewhere on the grounds, she wasn't entirely sure.

How on Earth did he have the thing? And how long had he had it?

She paced a few moments, tongue trailing slowly over her full lower lip, then sighing, she took off at a run, catching up to him on the next hallway.

She tapped his shoulder and then asked, "Where'd you find that?"

Fred studied her a moment and then said "Found it in the Great Hall, just now." he lied as he looked at her and then said "Remembered seeing it round your neck.."

"Mhmm.." she said as she studied him a few moments, confused by his doing this now. Obviously, he was as confused as her because he shrugged and said "I didn't take the bloody thing. I might do a lot of things, but I didn't steal it. If that's what you're assuming." impatiently.

Truth be told, he wasn't even sure why he was returning it, or why he was unable to get the infuriating Slytherin girl off his mind lately.

And that stunt with the candy on the train this afternoon, or the way she looked at him in worry moments ago, when their spell backfired and the result sent him sprawling, landing almost at her feet.

"If I thought it was stolen, Fred.. I'd have raised an unholy amount of hell about it. If I thought you stole it, don't you think I'd have confronted you by now?" Rosalia asked calmly, a stiffness to her voice as her eyes darted around the hallway. She edged closer and then said quietly, "What the hell were you thinking anyway, putting your names into the goblet? The tournament is deadly."

"Why do you care.. Slytherin?" Fred asked, leaning in a little, meeting her eyes and holding her gaze, his tone commanding as he waited on her to answer.

"Maybe I don't.. Weasley. I have a name." Rosalia muttered as she found herself getting lost in his eyes, biting her lower lip. They were standing closer now, she could feel the warmth of his breath on her skin when he breathed, she could smell the cologne he wore.

She straightened his tie and said with a scowl, "It was annoying me."

"And your odd little games annoy me." Fred said in a calm and quiet tone as he continued staring at her. She looked at him, for a brief moment, he clearly saw the hurt in her eyes. It confused him.

She was just playing games with him, right?

She had to be. Or she was bored with the boys she usually associated with.

"You think you have me all figured out, don't you.." Rosalia mused aloud as she leaned even closer, gave a hurt smile and shook her head as she said "But you literally have no idea just how wrong you and your twin, your judgemental friends really are about me."

She turned to walk away, he grabbed her wrist carefully, stopping her.

"The hat put you into Slytherin for a reason. The hat doesn't make mistakes, princess. Think about it." Fred said with a slight frown as he studied her eyes, searching for a reaction either way. She bit her lower lip and muttered something then said "Fine, Fred. Have it your way. This is all just a game. Maybe I like a challenge."

As she walked off, he managed a slightly confused smirk as he said calmly, "Likes a challenge, eh? Well, if she can play her games, then she's just challenged the master." before walking off himself, confused by the whole contradiction that was Rosalia.

A contradiction that he was determined to find an answer to somehow. Somehow, he was going to prove she was just doing this out of boredom, or to make a fool out of him.. And maybe he'd beat her to it.

Down the hall, Rosalia ducked into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, sniffling as she slunk into a stall. "So sick of it. Maybe I should just stop chasing him. All I'm doing is making a damn idiot of myself. It's pathetic, really. I fall in love with the one boy who's off limits and also hates me.. Why am I exhausting myself to change that?"

She heard Myrtle sniffling and she said quietly, "Go away."

"Is this about Weasley again, I wonder?" Myrtle mused as she swooped down and lingered at the top of the stall, watching the girl with curiousity gleaming in her bleary and tear filled eyes.

"Now why would I tell you that?" Rosalia snapped as Myrtle cried a little then said "It is." sending Rosalia to seek out a quieter spot to fall apart in.

Which she did, down the hallway in a forgotten closet. In the dark. Once she'd let it all out, she walked out, joined her so called friends in their commons room, keeping her distance as usual, while lounging in front of the fire, reading a magazine she'd bought with her from home.


	4. Drained

She fumed as she turned a corner in the castle and found herself standing face to face with Viktor Krum. "What do you want?" she asked calmly as he said with a slight grin, " You've been avoiding me." while looking at her. Her eyes darted around, desperate to be away from him as she really disliked the guy to be frank, but he laughed a little and then asked, "I just wanted to know why?"

"I thought I made it crystal clear when you came to the house over summer break for that infernal tea date from hell." Rosalia muttered as she raked her hands through her hair and tried moving past him. "Why don't you like me?"

"Because, Viktor.. I just don't. Because you are you. We have nothing in common and I don't want to discuss this farther." Rosalia muttered as she side stepped him and started to walk away, him calling out casually, "You'll regret it."

"Somehow, Krum, I sincerely doubt I'll ever regret the decision not to like you." she murmured as she darted into her Potions class and sat down, feigning interest in the lesson they'd be having for the day while listening to the whispers about the tournament, about Dumbledore's decision to leave Harry Potter in as a champion.

A decision that frankly, had her questioning the man's overall sanity, but she kept quiet. After all, it wasn't her business. She was, however, glad the stupid Goblet hadn't allowed the twins to enter because the very thought of Fred even possibly being a champion would have had her on pins and needles and knee deep in a bottle of firewhiskey with worry before the tournament was over.

"I shouldn't give a damn about him." she reminded herself as she heard her friend Melody calling her name.

She turned and glared as Melody passed her a note. Opening it, she scanned over it and rolled her eyes, not bothering to write back. The less she had to do with the annoying older Slytherin girl, the better, at least with her current mood.

Fred sauntered in and took a seat and they were all paired off to work on a potion together.. Only for some reason or another, the teacher paired them with members of the opposite house. Which would have been fine if she hadn't wound up paired with Fred, of course.

She moved her books and belongings to the vacant seat next to his and sat down, staring intently at her parchment. "Bloody brilliant." she muttered mostly to herself as he looked at her, brow raised before shaking his head at her.

Neither spoke, instead, Rosalia began portioning off ingredients for the potion they were learning, and Fred worked on mixing them together. She gasped as the insturment she'd been holding, using to cut one of the leaves necessary into bits slipped and cut her finger.

She raised her finger to her mouth, sucking on the small cut and he coughed and said "That was disgusting."

"Did I ask you to look at me?" she asked him as he glared a moment then said "Let me see... Your finger I mean."

She looked at him a moment and mumbled "It doesn't matter. It's fine." as he snatched her hand, looked at the almost microscopic cut and then at her before laughing a little and muttering, "Overdramatic."

"Not when it could have slit open my entire damn finger." she shot back as she rolled her eyes in anger. After that, she pouted, of course, he noticed she did that a lot when he said things to her in anger, and she turned away from him, scribbling something on her parchment but keeping it carefully hidden from his line of sight.

Which naturally, only made the rather nosy ginger male curious, so he peered over her shoulder, trying to get a glimpse of what she was hiding.

"Can you stop watching me? Just finish the potion." she snapped as she continued to concentrate on her sketch of him, hiding it as best as she could. She liked sketching people, and she liked watching him when he was in deep thought. She'd gotten inspired to sketch that moment, and she'd been doing it for a few minutes now.

"I'm not some servant or something." he snapped as he looked at her, glaring a little and said "Would you just turn around, bloody hell.."

"I am not turning around because I do not want to spend the entire class time being angered or annoyed by you." she muttered quietly as she kept her eyes trained out the window now, her parchment sketch of him put away to finish later, when she had total privacy and he wasn't irritating the piss out of her trying to see it.

She just didn't want to actually hear him say how pathetic she was or something, given the fact that he hated her, she couldn't stop herself from wanting or actually falling for second the bell to dismiss class sounded, she tore out of her seat, and then out of the room as if she was being chased by the very hounds of hell or something. He shook his head and then muttered "As I said before. Barmy one, that one is." before being joined by his twin who nudged him and said calmly, "Just leave her alone, Gred. She's only after you to make a fool of you somehow.. She is in Slytherin."

Fred studied his twin a moment then said quietly, "Yeah, you're probably right." as he tore his eyes from the door, then shoved any thoughts of her to the backburner in his mind. When he'd given her the rosary back after having it for nearly a year, it'd mostly been to rid himself of the feelings she gave him.

And naturally, it wasn't working all that well so far. They passed by her with a group of her friends in the hallway, talking, and for a moment their eyes met. He rolled his eyes dismissively, and quickly dropped eye contact as did she.

Rosalia sighed as she continued to explain to Melody why she wasn't concerned about Viktor Krum's being there, how she didn't like him, and she wasn't about to pretend to, just to satisfy a mother who'd only find something else, some other fault within her, to complain about.

She'd never be the daughter her mother wanted, she was pretty much done trying at this point.

"If you don't make a move, Rosalia, he'll set his sights on someone else." Melody whined insistently as Rosalia said aloud, "Here's an idea, Mel.. If you like the guy so damn much.. Why don't you go after him?"

Melody stared after her speechless and Rosalia, who'd finally snapped and had finally made the split second decision to be brave, cut all ties with everything about her life she hated, if for nothing more than finally having peace, finally be left alone, well.. she smirked as she shoved out of the group and started to walk away.

"Your mum will hear about this! I'm going to owl her as soon as I'm in my dorm." Melody said aloud, satisfied smirk. This approach often quelled any rebellious spirit within the girl.

She was nothing if not terrified of her mother.

"Tell her, Mel. I really don't give a flying fuck in space anymore. Here's another idea.. Since you love my mum and my life so much.. Take my place.. Hell, you're already far more involved in it than just a casual accquaintance should be." Rosalia muttered making Melody stammer a few moments.

"Fine! Maybe I'll do that. At least I'd appreciate all I had instead of being an ungrateful little bitch about it." Melody said as Rosalia looked at her and then doubled over, gripping her sides in laughter.

She shoved through a crowd of students, tearing out onto the lawns, shedding her heels as she ran to the Black Lake.

"Merlin.. I've never felt that good or this free before. Nothing I've ever done has made me feel this way." she muttered, silly smile on her face as she flopped down onto the grass, for once not caring if she ruined the designer uniform skirt she wore.

A voice spoke up from beside her and she looked at Draco Malfoy with a raised brow as he said "That was brave just now.. Bloody stupid as all hell, but brave." while skipping a rock lazily across the surface of the lake.

"Malfoy.. Bugger off already. I want to revel in my freedom."

"You're not really free.. You'll never be free. I thought I'd be able to get out of this, all of it.. Won't happen. Father would have me beheaded I think sometimes." Draco mused aloud as he looked at her and then said with a slight smirk, "And no matter what you do Rosalia.. You'll always be judged. We are, after all, Slytherins."

He stood, smirking, satisfied that he'd killed her rebellious streak once and for all, took off for the castle again. After all, if he was going to be stuck on the side he really didn't believe in, and have to fight in a war he could personally give two shits less about (from the side he'd be stuck on at least), then he wasn't about to let someone else get free.

Rosalia hummed under her breath and stood, stretching. Bored, she sort of started dancing around a little, her adrenaline from the very public scene she'd created in the hallway with Melody stil flowing through her veins. When she flopped down again, breathless, lying on her back and looking up at the sky, Viktor spoke up and said calmly, "I come in peace."

"And I still wish you'd leave me be." Rosalia muttered in a bored tone, yawning. Viktor, however, made no move to leave and flopped down, sitting beside her. "I wish I could do that."

"And why on Earth would you wish to do what I did? It's not like you're unhappy."

"Ahh, but I am, actually.. See, I do have a physical attraction to you.. But my heart.. Well, let's just say there's this pretty girl I've met recently who's captured that.. But my parents.. They'd probably never allow it." Viktor muttered, a goofy half smile as he thought about the busy haired Gryffindor he just couldn't stop staring at for one reason or another.

Rosalia sat up, intrigued look on her face as she said quietly, "Oh? And why not?"

"Because she's a Mudblood.. And though they wouldn't mind her so much.. I highly doubt they'd give me peace to see her." Viktor admitted as he looked at Rosalia for a few moments.

Rosalia skipped a smooth black stone across the surface of the lake and then said casually, "I could help you.. If I had a name."

"Hermione Granger." Viktor said as Rosalia stared at him a moment, then burst into laughter, only stopping to mutter quietly as she said "I just.. I never pictured you falling for her.."

"And I never pictured you falling for a Weasley either." Viktor teased with an amused smirk as she stammered for a few moments then asked, "How did you know?"

"Sort of hard not to know when you won't stop staring at him for even a few seconds.. Plus, the way you two fight."

Rosalia sighed as she raked her hands through her hair and said quietly, "Well that doesn't matter anymore because I'm giving up. He hates me, I don't have the energy or the patience to change the way he sees me. And it probably wouldn't ever go in my favor, if I were to, because he'd still think I was trying to trick him." before looking at Viktor and admitting quietly, "You know she'll never actually love you.. Right?"

"Why the hell not?" Viktor demanded as Rosalia said with a slight smile, "Speaking from experience, as a girl in love with a boy who's too damn obtuse to know.. She's in love with Ron Weasley. Always has been I think. For the life of me, I've no idea why. He hardly notices her, and if you ask me, he uses her."

"You notice a lot for someone who pretends not to care about anyone but herself." Viktor said as he looked at his hands and said "Either way.. Even if she doesn't love me.. I at least want to find out if I really love her, or if this is just some phase. So you give up if you like. But me? I fully intend to go after what I want."

"Good luck with that. If you're not Ron or a centuries old book, I highly doubt she'll even notice you. She's a nice enough girl.. Merlin don't tell her I said that.. It's just that she's sort of oblivious to any male who's not Ron or that Potter boy.." Rosalia muttered as she watched him walking back inside before folding her arms gracefully around her knees, sitting there, just staring out at the lake, watching the afternoon sun sinking lower and lower in the sky.

She might have to push down any feelings she has for Fred, she might have to pretend that it didn't bother her when he said the hurtful things he did, or judged her based solely on the rest of her friends, but one way or another, she was getting herself out of the world she lived in when she finished school.

"Maybe I'll go to America, become a famous dancer or model or something. To hell with everything else. If I can't have the boy I love, if I can't have the life I'd really rather have, then I'll just do something else. But I will not be stuck here, stuck in this prison I call a life, listening to my mum dictate my every move, telling me what to say, do and think or when I can and can't breathe." she muttered as she stood, walking into the castle, just in time for the evening meal.

She slid into her seat at the Slytherin table, eyes intently on her plate, chewing her food, hurrying through her meal. Instead of lingering in the commons room once she was back in the Slytherin house, she sought out the solace of her room, flopping onto the bed, arms crossed behind her head.

Her roommate asked casually, "So.. Did your dress robes come yet?"

"They did, actually.. I'm not going to wear it. If you want it.." Rosalia gestured to the closet door, summoning the dress, letting it land on her roommate's bed. "It's yours."

"You really are losing your mind." the roommate muttered as she smirked and said "But I won't complain."

"The shoes are in my closet, top shelf. I'm wearing my own dress.. That I'll be buying when we're out at Hogsmeade." Rosalia stated as she rolled over, muttering Nox, cloaking her side of the room at least, in darkness.

Today had been a draining day. She'd won one battle, she was giving up on another.

Meanwhile, in the Gryffindor commons room, Fred sat staring into the fire, debating on the mixed feelings the Slytherin girl gave him. Parts of the male insisted that it had to be a game of some sort, she was bored, or she was rebelling against her parents, or society, or something.. But then other parts of him would call forth all the odd things, the little things she'd done or said, or ways she'd looked at him since he'd met her in their second year at Hogwarts.

"Let's do something." George insisted impatiently and Fred shrugged, having not been paying attention to anything his brother, or Harry and the others had been saying for at least ten minutes now. He stood and said casually, "Going for a walk."

Wandering around the darkened hallways of the castle at night sometimes gave him the most clarity, the most time to think. And he couldn't think with everyone in his head telling him how 'bad' what he felt for the girl was, or how 'wrong' he most likely was about her. He always trusted his gut instinct, this time, his gut instinct wasn't agreeing with his family or his friends and he just wasn't sure if he liked that or not. He sighed as he stood on the bridge of the Astronomy Tower, looking out a window.

"Just let it go, Fred. They're probably all right about her and there are loads more girls here. But I just.. If I give up, then I'm going to wonder.." he muttered aloud as he raked his hands through his hair, laughed aloud at himself. "She did challenge me.. And maybe I can sort of play along with her games." not realizing that the girl was giving up now, there would be no more games to play along with when he muttered his statement.

Satisfied that he'd come up with his answer, at least for the moment, he walked back into the commons room and flopped down on the couch, getting back into the discussion with Harry and the others about the first task in the tournament.


	5. Jealous

He watched her with a raised brow, his arms crossed, completely baffled. Apparently, for whatever reason, Rosalia was avoiding him. At first, of course, Fred put it down to her just being busy or something, but now he knew for certain, as he'd been hissing her name during the whole annoying process of 'learning to properly dance' for the upcoming Yule Ball, and she hadn't once looked over.

The ginger haired male smirked as he walked over, flopped down nearby. Rosalia shifted her gaze to him for just a split second before getting pulled up from her seat by a 7th year Slytherin who practically dragged her onto the floor. Rosalia bit her lower lip as she looked up at the older Slytherin male, raised brow as she said calmly, "Did I look like I wanted to dance with the likes of you?"

"No, but you will." the male smirked as he dipped her, making his friends crow aloud with delight. Rosalia looked up as she was held at an angle, and her eyes met Fred's. He looked confused, maybe even a little jealous? She gave a cheeky wink, but only a slight one, she reminded herself internally that she was in fact giving up on ever getting the guy of her dreams to notice her as more than evil or bad or an annoyance.

Fred watched the older male Slytherin and when nobody was looking, he raised his wand beneath his house robes and gave a quick swish. The ending result was the show off 7th year male crashing to the floor. George snickered and leaning in whispered "See? I told you you were only infatuated with the little princess. Now that's the Fred I know." giving his twin a celebratory high five.

Fred bit his lower lip as he watched Rosalia getting off the floor where she'd been knocked down by her falling Slytherin dance partner. He chuckled as the Italian spitfire had a go at apparently swearing at the older Slytherin male who'd asked her to dance in her native tongue. Quietly, he muttered, "Love it when she does that. Just not to me so much. When it's me, it's bloody irritating."

Rosalia stormed out of the 'ballroom' after that, setting off down the hallway. A tap to her shoulder had her turning around and she groaned aloud when she turned, saw Fred standing there, arms crossed, amused smirk on his face. "Aww.. Is the princess going away to pout now?"

"No, I just.. I have to get out of there. The bloody nerve of that jerk, grabbing me up like I'm a possession or something. I've no doubt my mother put him up to this, I've seen him and his parents at quite a few of my mother's parties." Rosalia fumed as she bit her lower lip and scowling asked, "And even if I were, as you so delicately put it, going off to pout, Weasley, what business of it is yours? I'm leaving you alone, is that not what you and everyone you know wanted?" while raking her hand slowly through her long dark hair, looking up at him intently.

He looked at her, she blinked, she couldn't really decipher the look in his eyes right now, but it was definitely at least 90 percent mischevious. So she was leaving him alone.. But he was going to start taking every opportune chance to hurt and irritate, anger and annoy her? She shook her head and started to walk away, his hand clasped around her wrist stopping her as he said quietly from very close behind her, "I never actually said I wanted you to leave me alone. I sort of miss the attention, maybe."

She turned around slowly, looked up at him with a raised brow, her free hand on her hip. "Obviously, that's not my problem anymore. I'm one of the evil ones, remember? Maybe everyone's right about me, maybe I was just bored." she lied quickly, biting her lower lip, her eyes darting around the hallway, praying and hoping that for once anyone would round the corner or something.. If she stood here too much longer, she'd cave in and she'd be right back where she started, irrevocably and hopelessly addicted to Fred Weasley.

He studied her with amusement as he leaned in a little closer, lazily lifted the rosary that sat delicately on her neck, smirking as he asked, "Do I make you nervous, Rosalia?"

She licked her lips as she looked up at him. A slow smirk filled her face as she leaned in closer and then said "No.. What you do make me, Fred Weasley, is angry, annoyed, hurt, confused and insane. I can't keep up with your many changing moods, I don't get why you do half the things you do, and sometimes the things you do that don't scare you, terrify me. But as far as making me nervous, no, you really don't. Now if you'll let me go." sharply as she tried taking her hand away from the light grip he had on it, his grip tightened slightly as he looked at her, confused expression on his face.

He hurt her? Things he did in fun, that could potentially be dangerous terrified her? Had she not been joking when she started playing her little 'flirting game' with him to start with?

"You should probably go, Fred. I've said too much already. Just forget I said any of it. God knows I'm going to somehow." Rosalia muttered as she got her hand free, practically bolted down the hallway and into the Slytherin commons room. A throat clearing behind him had him turning around, the 7th year Slytherin stood there, smirk on his face and his arms crossed, as he said casually, "She's promised to me, Weaslebee.. Just doesn't know it yet."

Fred glared and gave the Slytherin a hard shove as he walked past, stopping only long enough to say calmly, "That's what you think, mate." with his own smirk. He snuck back into the ballroom just in time to witness his brother Ron being dragged to the floor by some girl in their house and Hermione slightly pouting about it yet also looking in Viktor's direction with a raised brow and slightly goofy smile on her face before dropping her gaze to her hands, a note she held in them.

Fred sat there with his brother, talking and joking, laughing about Ron's dress robes which had arrived earlier, but in the back of his mind, the whole conversation with Rosalia in the hallway just now kept coming back to him, bothering him.


	6. Eavesdropping

"Get your filthy damned hands off me." Rosalia swore as she yanked her arm free from Vincent Thorne, a 7th year Slytherin who'd been sort of making advances at her as of late, whether she wanted them or not. She didn't actually want them, but he didn't seem to care that she didn't like him.

He kept insisting that their mothers had an 'arrangement', and that one way or another, when they finished school, she would be his bride. Vincent shook his head and leaning in said quietly, "If you cooperate I might just let that disgusting filthy idiot Weaslebee keep living."

"You can't do anything to him, I'm not that stupid." Rosalia hissed as she added, "Weasley is nothing to me. I've given up on that. But it still doesn't mean I'll just willingly accept this little arrangement our mothers have. And you cannot make me honor it." before stomping his foot, yanking her arm free from his grasp and taking off at a run. She ran around a corner full speed as if she'd just been launched from a cannon and she happened to run headlong into Hermione Granger, who was talking quietly with Viktor Krum.

Viktor looked at Hermione then at Rosalia and he said quietly, "So.. Have you two met or..." with Hermione looking at Rosalia, a disapproving scowl on her face as she said quietly, "She's the girl who was pretending to like Fred for one reason or another. But beyond that, I've no actual desire to know her."

"And the feeling, Granger, is likewise. Viktor, glad to see you made a move for her. Ron's every bit as obtuse as his muleheaded older brother, he'd never have asked her to the Yule Ball. Granger, I'd love to stay, exchange verbal barbs, but I really, really must be going." Rosalia said in a rush as she shoved past the two would be lovers and down the hallway farther, flinging herself into an empty and abandoned classroom, shoving a bookcase in front of the door as she fell back into a discarded school desk, taking a few calming breaths.

Hermione's assessment of her rang in her ears and she grumbled, biting her lower lip. "Bloody good thing I'm not stupid and stubborn and I'm not hell bent on pursuing Fred, trying to win him, trying to make him see that I really do love him.. With his lot of friends, I'd never get a proper chance." she said as she lightly punched at a nearby wall.

From the seclusion of a nearby closet, George nearly choked. He'd come in here to see if he could test a new gag he and Fred had been working on for the Yule Ball, and he'd been waiting on Fred to show up, Fred having a detention of course. "So she does love him.. Interesting." George muttered to himself as he thought back to everything she'd ever done or said to his twin.

"Bloody hell.. Not too sure if Mum's going to be entirely crazy about this whole thing.. But what the hell.. He is my twin, and he does still like her." George mused to himself mentally as he heard the door opening, heard Fred walking into the room.

Rosalia groaned and palmed her face as the door to the room burst open just as she finished having herself a good cry to calm down session and looked up to find Fred standing there, his hand on his hip as he looked at her with a raised brow. "Just go, Fred."

"I'd love to, Rosalia.. But my brother is in here.. Or he'll be here soon." Fred muttered as he walked around her, looked at her, brows knit together in concern. "What in Merlin happened to you?" he asked as he pointed to her wrist, pointed to the handprint around it where Vincent 'grabbed' her earlier.

"Nothing you need to worry over. I'm a big girl." Rosalia muttered as she tried avoiding his eyes, tried not letting herself get any closer to him than she had to. She gulped as what he said, his reason for being in the room too hit her. Then seconds later, she groaned as George stepped out from hiding and said casually, "Took a little longer than 5 minutes huh, Gred?"

"I'm just going to.. I should clearly just go." Rosalia muttered as she went to bolt for the door. Fred's hand slid over the knob before she could turn it and he said "Just tell me one thing.. That Slytherin?" as he nodded at her wrist.

She rolled her eyes and muttered, "He's got a busted nose, it's hardly like I didn't fight back." as Fred nodded and then let her walk out of the closet.

"It's not a good idea, Gred." George said as Fred looked at him and smirking said "Now what on Earth makes you think I intended to do anything to our little friend Vincent?"

"Aren't you even going to ask me what I might have overheard while standing in here, waiting on you to finally get here, brother?" George asked in amusement as Fred looked at him and muttered something then said finally, "Okay, what? You won't stop grinning like that until you tell me, and at this rate, it'll drive me insane."

"She really does love you.. just given up because of everyone around you, everyone around her. And the way you're always ripping into each other.. " George said as he watched it sink in with his twin brother. Fred looked at him with a raised brow then laughing he said "Good one, Forge."

"It's not a joke, Gred."

Fred paced as it all started to really click into place. Then he swore aloud and punched at a nearby wall, scowling when it actually did hurt his fist a little. "What else did she say?"

"Only that she might as well just give in to her mum's demands and marry Thorne. That unless she runs away when she's graduated, or she's old enough to be on her own, there's really nothing she can do to escape it, not if her mum's made some kind of binding magic with his." George said as he added casually, "We do play Slytherin at the end of the week, Gred."

"We do.." Fred muttered as his mind raced a mile a minute still trying to process everything he knew as of this moment and what he'd possibly be able to do about it sooner or later. Because he had to do something, especially considering he felt the same way.

In the privacy of her dorm room, Rosalia threw a literal fit as she tried to convince herself that George hadn't heard her just moments ago. That he wasn't telling Fred what he heard. She didn't want Fred getting involved, she just wanted to forget she'd said anything, because she didn't want him to feel obligated or anything where she was concerned.

"I've got to stop just bursting into rooms I think are empty." Rosalia muttered as she sank down into her plush green covered bed, staring up at her ceiling, wondering what was going to happen because of this little development.


	7. Tempted

The quidditch game had less than an hour until it got underway and the Gryffindors all sat in their tent talking intently amongst themselves about Harry's recently completed first challenge and what he thought the clues might indicate the second challenge might be.

All but Fred of course. He looked as if he were in another world, and currently, he was. He kept going back over what he'd seen just ten minutes before in his mind, the anger surging, the intention to get his hands on Vincent, that 7th year Slytherin who kept bothering Rosalina, even stronger now than they had been earlier in the week.

A tap to his shoulder had him jumping a little, Viktor Krum stood in front of him. "Aren't you in the wrong tent mate?" Fred asked through gritted teeth. He didn't like the guy personally, to him, Viktor was another slight interference that stood in his way of getting to Rosalina once and for all like he wanted. He knew the two had dated at one point or another, or so that's what a girl from Beaubatons, Fleur, claimed she'd heard.

"Not exactly." the male said as he held out his hand then said with a smirk, "Someone would probably want you to have this."

Fred took the rosary Viktor held out to him and then said with a slight wink, "She's been snooping with myself in Hermione, I'm just repaying the favor. She doesn't know I've done it." before spotting Hermione, who'd been talking to Harry nearby, walking out of the tent.

"What was that all about, Gred?" George asked in amusement as Fred held up the rosary that Rosalina never seemed to go without, smirking a little. "Apparently Krum was giving things a push.. or something."

George chuckled in amusement as he said calmly, "Game time, brother. Ready to get your hands on Vincent, have it be completely and totally allowed?" as Fred nodded and said grimly, "Don't remind me, Forge."

As they took the field, his eyes scanned the crowd. He didn't see her in the Slytherin skybox, but when he looked in a skybox in the middle, where the other two schools here for the tournament sat for quidditch games, she was sitting there with a few girls from Beaubatons.

Rosalia felt around her neck and then groaned inwardly as she realized that her rosary must have broken at the clasp and fallen out again. "Damn it." she muttered as she bit her lower lip, watched the quidditch game between Slytherin and Gryffindor pick up, gasping when it looked for a moment that Fred was losing grip and might lose his broom because of a hit Vincent, the unwanted 7th year Slytherin suitor she seemed to have acquired as of late thanks to her mother's demands and meddling.

"If he knocks Fred off of that broom, I'll.." she started as she bit her nails, hiding her face in her new friend Fleur's shoulder. Fleur looked over and said casually, "He'll be fine. Look, he's already on his broom all the way again." as Rosalia looked up and stood, clapping, not caring that others in her own house were looking at her with raised brows, or that the meddling former friend Melody was shaking her head in disgust.

The game had only just ended, Rosalia was leaving the skybox when she felt a tap to her shoulder, heard Fred say quietly, "Don't turn around."

She felt the cool glass beads on her necklace as he fastened it back around her neck and leaned in closer, said quietly, "Fixed the clasp. You, ermm, you lost it in the Great Hall again this morning." before turning her around to face him.

"You should really slow down on that broom, Weasley. You could give a girl a fright flying like you do on that thing." Rosalia said as she raked her hand through her hair and looked up at him for a moment, confused as to why he was standing there, why he seemed to find her lately, even if she were trying her very best to stay hidden from pretty much everyone as she had been lately.

"A girl or you?" he asked in amusement as he looked at her, noting the blink of her eyes, the gleam in them as she slightly smiled and said "Depends, Fred. What answer won't bring all your friends and family down on me?"

"The truth?" Fred said with a shrug as he walked along side of her, chuckling at her nervousness. He stopped them just before they got back towards the castle and said quietly, "My brother told me everything."

She felt her stomach churning as she said quietly, "Oh.." and looked down at the boots she wore. She was already sort of thinking he was either about to laugh at her, or make fun of her, or something. He looked at her and then said quietly, "Well? All you can say is Oh?"

"Fred, I..." she started as he looked at her a moment and then asked, "Well? Was it true at all?" waiting on her to say something. Rosalia nodded and said quietly, "It won't matter in the end, but yes, Fred, it's true. I said it, and I did mean it. But.."

"It matters. And if Vincent, that git is the only reason you're afraid right now, he's taken care of. Carted him off the field to the infirmary, remember? And I'm not afraid of the guy." Fred said as she nodded and laughed a little then asked, "Why did you do that.. You could've fallen off the broom, broken your own bloody arm you tosser."

"I saw what he did to you before the game earlier. When he caught you off by yourself. Was sort of worth it. At least I think so." Fred said as Rosalia sighed and then looked up at him, her hand on her hip,biting her lower lip, not sure of what to say.

"You do, do you? And if your brothers and your sister, those friends of yours knew where you were right now.. With me.. Would you still think it was worth it? Because they all hate me, Fred. I mean at least to my knowledge.."

"George doesn't hate you. He did, he doesn't now. Hearing what you said that night sort of helped him change his mind I think. Why put up such a fight now?" Fred asked as Rosalia sighed and said quietly, "I'm not.. I'm just scared.. Everything's against this even working out.. I mean our houses, our families.. Everything." She shuffled her feet in the puddles, sighed as she said quietly, "And..Because Fred.. I don't want you thinking you have to feel something back.. And my mum, she's gone and made this godawful arrangement with Vincent's parents."

"Nothing's actually impossible, you do know that, right?" Fred chuckled as she looked at him, giving him an unamused look. He didn't see things like she did, because he had constant happiness in his life, nothing seemed to worry him as it did her. He came from a family full of caring people, she however came from a cold and uncaring and often times unfeeling family.

But his smile, it made her want to believe that nothing actually was impossible. And maybe that's why she laughed a little and then said quietly, "At least one of us is an optimist. But can we go in now? This rain makes it freezing cold out here."

He nodded and then asked "The arrangement.. She's trying to marry you off, isn't she?" as his anger at her mother doing this, to a git like Vincent at that.. Did the woman just not care about her own daughter? He realized just how little he knew about the girl he'd been infatuated for a while now and he made a mental note to fix that as soon as possible.

"Mhmm.. Apparently, my father and Vincent's father talked about this when we were children or something.. I don't want it to happen, I'm going to do everything I can to stop it from happening.." Rosalia nodded as she added quietly, "Your brother and your friends aren't looking for you?"

Fred shrugged and said quietly, "Doesn't matter if they are." as he slid his jacket around her, the two of them walking down a semi darkened hallway. He stopped her against a wall and leaning in, he kissed her as he muttered quietly, "Nothing's going to happen to you, okay?"

"You barely know me, Fred, you can't honestly say that." Rosalia muttered as she kissed back then muttered, "Hell with it. I'm not going to keep fighting this. I can't keep fighting this. But you.. You have to stop inserting yourself with that git Vincent. He's not the normal bad boy.. He's.. He's scary."

"Right." Fred chuckled as he leaned in and muttered "You just haven't seen how scary I can be when I get something in my head."

"What about your family, Fred? Your friends? This is going to look like some huge betrayal... They won't like me." Rosalia said quietly as he shook his head and pointed out, "And they'll get to know you, and realize they're wrong. My point, love, is that I'm not keen on giving up when I've made my mind up, I want something."

Rosalia nodded and said quietly, "I just don't want you to lose everyone you care about, everyone that cares about you, because of me." as she kissed him again and said quietly "Especially when I'm not sure I'm worth it. I mean everyone I've ever known's told me I'm not worth it."

"To me you are. Just give in already." Fred insisted as he looked at her and smiled a little. The door bursting open to the room they'd ducked into had them springing apart, George hissed, "You two? I thought I saw you two sneaking in here.. C'mon, we've got to hurry, Fred."

"The trap's set?"

"And loaded, brother. This prank is going to be bloody brilliant." George said as he eyed the girl a moment and said simply, "She's coming with us, I suppose?" his tone of voice sort of indifferent for now. It was going to take some getting used to, but maybe when he got to know her better, he'd start to see what his brother saw in her.

Fred looked at Rosalia who shrugged and said quietly, "If you want me to then I will. All you have to do is say you want me there or you don't." to which Fred replied, "It's outdoors."

"What in the blue hell are you doing outdoors? Nevermind, I've forgotten who I'm talking to." Rosalia said as she managed a smile, walked out the castle doors with the Weasley twins.

Down the hallway, from around a corner, Vincent fumed to himself in anger, looked down at his arm. He'd only just gotten released from the infirmary, and he'd went looking for her.. And naturally, he'd found her with that disgusting ass Fred Weasley.

"He'll pay.. They'll both pay. When her mother hears about this.." he muttered to himself as he ducked into the Slytherin commons room.

Did she not realize that there was a war brewing, and when Voldemort did return officially, if she weren't on the right side, she'd be considered a traitor? It was already bad enough that she was a half blood. But becoming a traitor on top of it? And the fact that she'd turn her back on everything, all the comforts her current life held for that dirt poor git.. It disgusted him, it really did.

He looked down at his arm, clenching his fists. He'd have to talk to someone about this. Or he'd have to take control of the situation himself. But he was not allowing his future bride to turn traitor and bring Voldemort's wrath down on his own head. After all, he was a true believer, he was already working to earn his marks among the ranks of the Death Eaters, preparing to help Voldemort take control of the wizarding world, set things right, the way they should be.


	8. Love

Howlers weren't a new thing for Rosalia. But this howler, however, had her rolling her eyes dismissively as her mother lectured her in front of everyone in the Great Hall for the last meal of the day about how Weasley was a nothing wizard from a nothing family, and if she continued to consort with the likes of him, she'd be burned off the family tree. One look at Melody, who sat down the table from her, and seeing the smug grin on the older Slytherin girls face, she rolled her eyes and stood quickly.

Tapping Melody's shoulder, she waited until Melody turned around and when she did, Rosalia slapped her and then turned a goblet of pumpkin juice over on her head. "If you don't stay out of my business, Melody, you will regret the day you ever met me. I already regret the day I met you." Rosalia said calmly as Melody gaped at her. She stormed out of the Great Hall, and Fred, much to the chagrin of his brothers and friends got up and ran out on her heels. He caught up to her in the corridor, her knees to her chin, crying.

"Hey.. You're okay." he muttered as he pulled her into his lap when he'd sat down, not caring who saw or what they might think and say. She looked up at him, jamming her hands into her eyes as she said quietly, "I hate her. I really, really hate her. She's just.. Ughhh, god, I hate her so much. Yet she continues to dig in, try and make me fear her. I wish she would burn my name off the family tree in all honesty. She never wanted to be my mother. Only had me to try and keep my father happy." Rosalia admitted as Fred held her against him and said quietly, "It's okay.. We're okay." as his stomach churned. Was she changing her mind now, about them? She could lose it all, everything her parents might have given her, if she kept seeing him.

"Oh.. We're definitely okay. And she's not going to like the howler I send back, either." Rosalia said calmly as she sighed and said quietly, "I just don't want you to regret it. I mean your friends and family are all pretty angry at you right now, because of me. I'm not worth it, Fred, and I'll stick to that until the day I die. I don't want to ruin your life. I've already ruined mine according to her."

"You have not. You're doing what you want and not what she wants. She's just angry because she can't control you anymore, because you're happy." Fred muttered as he kissed her forehead and then said simply, "Let's go for a walk." standing, pulling her up. They walked out onto the lawns, flopped onto the grass and watched the stars rise in the night sky. He pulled her partially on top of him as he smirked and then leaned up, kissing her. She smiled and said quietly, "As long as I have you, I have everything. Everything I honestly want. I just wish your friends and your brother Ron, your sister Ginny could see that."

"They will. They just need time." Fred said quietly as he smiled and leaned up, kissing her. His parents weren't thrilled about Rosalia either, but he'd told them that she was different. Both parents had their reservations and Molly said that she wasn't going to buy it until she met the girl. He understood that they were all trying to protect him, they loved him, but he wished they'd understand that he loved her too.

The whole thing was stressful, but so far, they were managing to stay together no matter what faced them. And lately, things had been getting even more tense wtih talk of Voldemort's followers building an army, getting ready to fight, to make some kind of move. He worried that her being with him put her into a whole load of danger, he didn't want her hurt, but at the same time, he didn't want to give her up, either.

"When this shit's over, Fred.. We're going to get a little cottage in the woods.. And we'll be together and happy. I don't want all the shit she keeps taunting me with. I'm more than happy to just let Melody take my place, let my mum groom her to become the perfect society girl. I want you."

Fred smirked as he leaned in and said "And I want you.. And the cottage thing sounds like the best idea I've heard in a long time." as he pictured it all in his mind. Picturing it gave him something to hope for, something to fight for if things got as bad as he feared they would.

They sat staring at the stars for a few hours, making plans, and reluctantly, he lead her back into the castle when he knew most everyone was asleep again. Kissing her in the hallway, the two split to go itno their respective commons rooms, and she lie in bed, smiling, thinking ahead.

As long as she had him, she'd be alright. He was her light. A lot of girls might claim that they were 'in love' but Rosalia knew she was very much really and truly in love. And there wasn't anything she'd care to keep, if it stood in the way of being with him.


End file.
